Spookier as she's got older?!

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Deltic Blue

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Hi everyone,

I tend to only lurk on here, but I'm after a bit of advice with my mare, as I'm getting more and more frustrated and worried about her.

Millie has always been slightly spooky, but when I got her at just turned 7, she would have only the very odd spook, there would normally there would be a reason for it and it would generally be when we're hacking alone.

But now, at just turned 13 years old, she's so bad, even in company now, and she used to be so laid back out in company.
On a bad day, she'll constantly be on the look out for something to spook at, she can be really on edge, and she'll spook at nothing, and sometimes they're way more dramatic than needs be!
She's still fantastic in traffic, but I'm getting more and more put off taking her out on the roads as she'll look at something at the side of the road, be it a road sign etc, and she'll swing herself right into the middle of the road, which will start getting dangerous soon!

I took her out this afternoon, and it's like riding a coiled spring sometimes, she's just so on edge and on the look out for something to spook at, it's really taking the enjoyment and the relaxation out of what used to be a nice hacking horse.

The only thing I can think of that's changed over the past year or so is her feed. She used to be on bog standard pony nuts and chaff, but now she's on Pure Feed Fibre balancer, as I don't think she was getting a proper balanced diet with all the vitamins/minerals she should have been getting, as she's on restricted grazing too.
I always look for something that is low in sugar and molasses, due to her being a good doer. But now I'm tempted to take it back to basics again and see if that helps.

Other than that I'm getting worried it may be her sight, but I'm really hoping it isn't :(

If anyone has any advice or things that I should try, I'm open to any suggestions. I'm going to have a change of feed and see if that helps first. If not I'll be thinking about getting the vet to check her eyes.
 
My old mare definitely got spookier as she got older although she never lost her sense of self preservation and only spooked when it was safe to do so eg. No cars nearby.

Had her eyes checked and they were all OK.
 
Our pony is 15 and I wouldn't say his got worse as his got older but he definitely hasn't got any better wi age!! Do you find her worse at different times of the year? I would say ours is definitely worse in spring where he will just look for things to spook at. I think your right to change her feed as some can be affected by the smallest thing. I use naf magic and feel that this takes the edge off him a bit, have you tried a magnesium based calmer? It might be worth a go as it works for some. Also I try to keep things simple with feeds, he just has a small amount of hi if molasses free and hay, I try not to feed haylage either.
 
She's been gradually getting worse and worse for the past year or so. She's at the worst now, which could be a mixture of spring grass, coming into season etc not helping the situation.

I used to be able to take her out and not have a care in the world, but now she's got her eyes on stalks half the time. To think I initially bought her 6 years ago because I had zero confidence, and now she's like this. Luckily it doesn't bother me, confidence wise, but the endless spooking at nothing is so frustrating.

To be honest, I have been playing around so much with different feeds in the last 6 months, trying to find something that I think would suit her, but I'm tempted to take her back to the basics again, just nuts and chaff. I've never tried a calmer, but I may have a look into one and see if it helps. Which ones would you suggest? I've used NAF Magic in the past on a previous horse with no real results, so I'm not keen on trying that.
 
Try her with one of the instant calmers, I've used both the NAF magic and Feedmark magnafeed both with good results. Mine doesn't need a calmer for main every day things, but if I know she is may be stressed (travelling, competing, clipping) then she will get a shot of whichever I have in the box! Pop it in when you get her in, groom etc for an hour or so and then see how she is.

When riding does she do it for the whole hack on just on the way out or homeward bound?

What is she like if you walk her in hand on a hacking route?
 
JustKickOn said:
Try her with one of the instant calmers, I've used both the NAF magic and Feedmark magnafeed both with good results. Mine doesn't need a calmer for main every day things, but if I know she is may be stressed (travelling, competing, clipping) then she will get a shot of whichever I have in the box! Pop it in when you get her in, groom etc for an hour or so and then see how she is.

When riding does she do it for the whole hack on just on the way out or homeward bound?

What is she like if you walk her in hand on a hacking route?
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I'll try the instant calmer and see if it takes the edge off.
She's like it the whole way round, she looks at things that she's seen a million times before and acts like they're the scariest thing in the world!
I've not tried walking her in hand, I'll perhaps try that and see how we get on.
 
I would try a 2/3 week break off the balancer and see if she is different. Made a huge difference to mine who seems to be sensitive to them! She now just gets calm and shine chop (basically a staw based chaff) and fibre cubes. Working 5 days a week for up to 2 hours at a time hacking mixed with schooling and jumping and looking fab on it - no more over reacting and being irrational either!
 
Tern said:
Get her sight and hearing tested. :)
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This^

I know vet bills are a royal pain but the fact this problem has been going on for a while and she's deteriorating over a period of time suggests something physical like eyes or ears rather than feeding to me.

If you still haven't found a diet that works for her it can't hurt to try a few calming/ non heating feeds to see if they make a difference.
 
Tern said:
Get her sight and hearing tested. :)
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Agree. A basic health check (eyes, heart, quick trot up) won't cost much especially if the vet's have a zone day or combined with vacs and teeth.

Basically darkened stable, opthalmoscope, possibly quick photo with smart phone will give an idea of issues - look for cataracts which aren't uncommon. Also checking dazzle and menace response gives an idea.

Obviously can't get them to read a chart so looking for things rather than a simple eye test!
 
Tern said:
Get her sight and hearing tested. :)
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I agree, I noticed my 23 year old horse was becoming more easily startled, so I got the vet out, she has senile retinopathy & is partically sighted. She is fine now & doesn't get startled anymore but she isn't ridden & I make sure she is kept in familiar surroundings.
 
As above get vet to check your horse out and if possible get your horse to demonstrate the things that it spooks at. (Is it visual, smell, sound etc).
Take your horse off all hard feed for 3 months and see if there is an improvement.
 
On another note, horses have a photographic memory. So this time of year they will be extra spooky. The grass and bushes etc have gone made in the last few weeks. So every time you pass it, it will look different to the last time, therefore she will spook.

My gelding isn't very spooky but this weekend he spooked badly 3 times, how I stayed on I'll never know. But they were all very valid monsters that weren't there last weekend, so I just keep my leg on to keep him confident that they aren't as scary as he thought
 
eggs said:
My old mare definitely got spookier as she got older although she never lost her sense of self preservation and only spooked when it was safe to do so eg. No cars nearby.

Had her eyes checked and they were all OK.
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My old mare was exactly like that - could be like a coiled spring and definitely got worse as she got older but she was safe as houses in that she'd spook, be terribly looky, would occassionally plant (youd have to get off and lead if she did) but never did it when it wasnt safe to (alwasy good as gold when cars, traffic about). She was never nasty and i never felt worried on her (and as she got older she has mot's for the usual things). I noticed she was spookier in the field too - often in the field snorting etc but an angel then to lead.
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone :)
I'm going to start by changing her feed this week and go back to the basic feed she used to be on last year, plus add magnesium, then if there's no change, I'll be getting the vet to give her the once over.
Annoyingly the vet was only out a couple of weeks ago doing her vaccinations, I should have asked her to have a look then!
 
I have this issue with S, I have found feed to be the main factor, he is ridden this time of year 4/5 times a week but based on his breeding and fitness levels was told by the vet that he is only in light/medium work. I wrongly assumed that he would need extra feed and he became almost dangerous. ANYTHING with extra sugar makes him totally crazy... That said he still throws in a few spooks every ride and I just accepted that show he is... I would still get the vet to check nothing untoward is behind it (I had them check as I thought S may have something wrong-and this was at his yearly booster time to keep the cost down) some horses are just jumpier than others I guess but cutting his feed to only chaff and a handful of H&P mix which I only give For his various supplements made it much much better
 
Have you tried adding magnesium to her feed? My friends ex racer is much calmer when on it - she is still spooky but no where near as bad. Just something to maybe give a go - I don't think it's very expensive.
 
I've ordered magnesium tonight so hopefully that will help.
She's on Pure Feed Fibre Balancer at the moment, which shouldn't have anything in it at all to fizz her up, the only thing she has had upped in her feed is brewers yeast, I don't know if that would have a heating effect?
 
I would take her off all feed except grass/hay for a month and see if that makes any difference, as you think it is feed related.
If that doesn't make a difference, have her eyes checked by the vet, then back, saddle, teeth in case it is pain related but ime it is very likely to be her feed. These days I only feed single ingredient supplements, so that I can monitor any adverse reactions.
 
I'm going to take her back to just pony nuts and chaff then add in magnesium to see if that helps.
I hacked her out today, and she was better, but I think having the high winds helped as she wasn't looking at silly things!
Hopefully she'll settle down without the need to get a vet out.
 
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